How the Holidays Never Change
by The Convergence
Summary: For Addy: Home is the place you want to be for the holidays. There is nothing more rewarding than sitting in the cosy warmth of a fire with a good circle of people around you. And Iris has always known that that is where she wants to be.


**The Convergence Secret Santa 2016**

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 **For:** Addy  
 **Character:** Iris West  
 **Other Characters Used:** Barry Allen, Joe West, and mentioned Eddie, Caitlyn, Cisco, and Jay  
 **Rating:** K for the Kids and Kangaroos, ;)  
 **Genre(s):** Friendship, Family  
 **Message to your person:** Have the greatest of holidays, dear Addy! And I hope you enjoy this little thing that I spent more time on than my homework (shhhhh!) ;) - Anyways, thank you for being a wonderful person to Rp with and I'm glad I was chosen to write for you!

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 **How the Holidays Never Change**

 _Summary: Home is the place you want to be for the holidays. There is nothing more rewarding than sitting in the cosy warmth of a fire with a good circle of people around you. And Iris has always known that that is where she wants to be._

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Iris had long since gotten used to the sight of Barry hunched over his desk whenever she passed by his open door. Iris smiled a little, eyes curiously peering into his room. It was weird to think now that there had been a time in which he wasn't a part of the household. Their friendship and become so much more that, in all honesty, he was really a whole new part of the family now.

The sight of him there was certainly a peaceful one, but she couldn't help but wonder why anyone would willingly commit to work on Christmas Eve. They were supposed to sit by the fire holding mugs of eggnog or cocoa, drowning in the wonderful sound of laughter, eating the cookies they had attempted to make a few days previous. Homework wasn't supposed to be a part of her perfect vision.

With an indrawn breath, Iris started forward into the room. She wanted to convince him to come down now: childish determination. Yet she was stopped before she could, by a firm but gentle hand. She turned to look over her shoulder and her innocent brown gaze peered up at her father in time to see the shake of his head.

"He's doing homework, and it's Christmas Eve," a young Iris protested at a whisper by way of argument.

"This is Barry we're talking about, he's always doing homework," answered her father in that comforting, yet milldly humourous way of his. They both knew Barry did like doing homework.. When Iris didn't look convinced, however, Joe continued in just as soft of tones, "It only has been a year, Iris. It will still be hard for him."

Of course she knew what he spoke of – the accident from just over a year ago, the one that left Barry without a home until he was taken in by the Wests; them. The girl set her jaw confidently; she was going to make this Christmas a lasting, great memory for Barry now. She was going to give him a Christmas he could look back and remember fondly without the pain of loss creeping in.

She was going to make sure he felt completely like a member of her small family.

Downstairs it smelled like warm cookies and hot chocolate intermingled with fresh pine and the slow burning of logs in the fireplace. The place was cosily lit by said orange flames, candles, and the lights of their tree. The windows were dark, wind howled past outside, and a cold draft seeped under the door, but Iris could not hve been more content.

It was five minutes passed when she and her dad had gotten everything in order, and now they were settled into the living room's couch, blankets wrapped around them each. It was then that Barry appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

In just one year, their resident, ten-year-old Allen had thinned from his childish look to more of a stretched, lanky frame. Kind of like what a runner's frame, Iris internally remarked. His soft gaze swept over to the father and his daughter and a mixed look seemed to take over those eyes.

"Hey Barr," Joe greeted while his daughter gave a wide, youthful smile and an excited, "Barry!" She patted the free cushions next to her, inviting him to sit. A small smile spread across his features as he hustled around, plopping himself onto the spot. A quiet "Hey" escaped his mouth.

Almost a second after, Joe spoke something along the lines of "I'll get you some hot chocolate, Barr" and left for the kitchen, leaving the two children alone.

A few silent beats passed before Iris shifted around on the couch and faced her adoptive brother. "So," she started brightly, "had a good day?–"

Barry glanced up from where his gaze had drifted.

"–working on homework?" she teased with a knowing grin, nudging his arm a little.

"Oh, yeah. Right," Barry began. "No, well kind of. I mean, homework's supposed to be hard and boring, right?" A smirk crossed his own face at that.

"Right," she drew out sardonically. "Like any homework is fun."

"If it's science, that stuff's–," came the protest.

"Nerd."

"Hey!"

"It's Christmas vacation. Have some actual fun!"

Barry could only grin like a madman at that demand. He laughed aloud, but he didn't have to formulate a reply. Joe chose that moment to come in with a freshly-heated mug of hot chocolate, topped off with both whipped cream and marshmallows. What a treat it was! If it were possible still, the boy's face was beaming even more as he accepted the drink along with a soft, "thanks."

There was a comfortable silence that settled over them, unbroken by the smiles being passed around. Eager to taste the hot cocoa (no doubt in his mind regarding how delicious it would be), Barry lifted the mug to his lips, but recoiled the splitsecond the hot chocolate touched his tongue.

"Hot," he gasped, sliding the drink across the coffee table. The contents sloshed to the rim, nearly spilling. He muttered just afterwards, "I never fail not to burn my mouth on hot chocolate.

"It's good though, isn't it," then followed Joe, in jest. As usual, he was sitting back in his plush armchair, looking over the two kids before him.

Barry nodded. An innocent light gleamed in his eye.

Iris though had yet another idea. She pushed herself off the couch and knelt by the tree, her young frame half hidden by the coffee table. Everyone knew what she was doing; it was obvious by the focused stare she was giving all the gifts. Barry picked up on it with childlike enthusiasm and lowered himself to his hands and knees. Iris watched him lean forward toward the gifts before sending a glance over his shoulder.

"Just one, please? Can we open just one of ours?"

The question was met with a chuckle from Joe. He easily enjoyed the festive atmosphere, fueled still by the two kids' enjoyment. This night was too special to ruin by saying 'no', so as the chuckle faded, the father (and foster father to one) of course said, Yes.

And now, a little over a decade later, Iris stood around the tree. Not the same tree, but one so similarly decorated it almost could have been.

She was happy.

There was Eddie at her side, the two from S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlyn and Cisco, there too, and Dad hanging the angel on the highest bough – just like that Christmas song she really liked. And then, Barry. He was standing near the back of the group as a guard would or a shepherd would over his flock. His flock. The widening reaches of his family.

Iris was noticing how he laughed, how he smiled, how he was enjoying this as much as everyone. Yet there was something there that made the distance between them larger than she wished. The thing was, Iris realised, was that she couldn't get his words out of her head; that was the reason she turned her head around to glance at him.

It was Christmas, though, wasn't it? And Christmas was a time to be honest, a time for loved ones, a time for eggnog with a good amount of kick to it. That was all Barry thought of too when he admitted all his feelings; she knew him well enough to know that. So why, when Barry even said he'll move on, did the confession haunt her thoughts?

The words circled her head.

In constant motion.

But still, she turned away in time to see the angel light up on top of the tree.

And now? It was that time of year again. It hadn't been decades since the last notable one, but with everything that had been going on… well, it might as well have been.

Around her was still Joe, was still Barry, was still Caitlyn and Cisco of S.T.A.R. Labs. The dynamic, however, could not have been more different. There were experiences in their pasts that hadn't been there last time. There was that newcomer, Jay, who clearly had a little something going on with Dr. Snow. Iris couldn't help but smile at their exchanges, though seeing them together opened up a small hole of hurt again. The lingering puddles after a storm has come and gone through town. The feeling had dulled over the months on recovery, yet sometimes the ache still returned when the times turned motionless.

Descending the stairs for the last time that night, Barry surveyed the room before he came up to her. The reassuring gleam on his expression sparked a distant memory from when they were excitable ten-year-olds and all they ever wanted to do on holidays was rip open gifts. His smile always seemed to chase away any feelings of sadness or loneliness she felt, a fact for which she was incredibly grateful for.

For a fast man as he, Barry sure could stop with incredible gentleness the way he halted before her now.

"Hey, Iris," he greeted softly. "You okay?"

They could tell whenever the other was under the weather.

"Yeah," Iris said after a moment's hesitation, throwing on that perfected tough smile, and turned to the speedster. "I think I will be. Actually," she spoke decisively.

Barry nodded. His empathetic worry-lines creasing his forhead morphed into a brilliant beam. How did he do that so easily? Such a sensitive boy, one that felt everything everyone else felt around him, and he could smile so big.

"I think someone needs a hug," he finally said in ironically sincere humour, and moved forward to pull her into an embrace. "Come'here."

Family. Friends. That's what Christmas is all about. While a roaring fire, the twinkling lights that adorned both the interior and exterior of houses, the mistletoe, the eggnog, and all else were welcome touches that made the holidays feel like holidays, Iris realised she didn't need them. She never has. What made Christmas special was the people she surrounded herself with. That was the part of the holidays – the part of any day, if she really thought of it – Iris would chose in a heartbeat.

The journalist had her arms open and wrapped around Barry not even a full second after the words escaped his lips. And an unspoken phrase passed between them,

Merry Christmas.

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 **Disclaimer:** The Convergence Roleplay and any themes related to it belong to Rhya and Lena (links on profile). All OC's belong to their respective creators, all Canon Characters belong to their respective franchises and all credit for the fic itself goes to the Santa who wrote it.

 **The Convergence Roleplay:** Trapped in a new world, with no way out. Characters from 19 different worlds have been brought together and must struggle in a world that constantly creates more mysteries than it solves. With no new answers ever coming to light, they must start to wonder - is there really a reason why they're here?

The Convergence is a multifandom roleplay, featuring Supernatural, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Harry Potter, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Vampire Diaries, The Hunger Games, Merlin, Once Upon a Time, Divergence, Fox MCU, Star Trek, The Maze Runner, the DC Extended and Television Universes, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Mortal Instruments and House M.D and the various spin-offs. Check out the link in the profile for more information!


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